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Pines!” Hitch broke through the sound barrier and made the girls’ earthquake seem tame. “How is everyone doing?”
    “I still don’t think I’ll ever get used to your dad using the megaphone before 9 AM,” I told Alexis. She laughed.
    “I have a few announcements to make this morning,” Hitch said happily. “Today is supposed to reach ninety-five degrees so we will be forgoing third period so that you can all have an additional free swim.” A loud cheer erupted. “If the weather continues, we’ll do the same thing tomorrow,” Hitch added. “I also wanted to tell you all about an exciting new craft activity for session two…”
    I stared across the room at Cole’s table. He was sitting with his bunkmates, but one of his peeps, Caleb, was on his lap. He had the little boy in a playful headlock. He was so cute. How did I not realize this before?
    “… and finally the talent show auditions will take place in two weeks.” Another loud cheer from the mess hall went up. “If you’re interested in signing up, there’ll be a sheet outside the mess hall doors.”
    “I wonder what you’ll be doing for the show,” Alexis said.
    “Me? No, I don’t perform,” I told her. “I’m more of a behind-the-scenes kind of girl than an actor.”
    “Your bunk is always in the show,” Alexis told me. “My sister always cooks up something for the group to do together. I’m sure you won’t be able to get out of it.”
    Yikes. I was about to say I wasn’t doing it when our table started shaking again.
    “AFTERSHOCK!” the peeps yelled.
    This time I was prepared and I didn’t fight it. Alexis started shaking the table as well while I sat back and watched. This was so silly. But I guess it was sort of fun if you were six. Oh, what the heck. I started shaking the table too and screamed “Aftershock!” Then the OJ pitcher fell over and the ice-cold juice spilled all over my pajamas. I jumped up and screamed. I must have been loud because everyone looked at me. From across the room, I could hear Gabby and Ashley cackle.
    “Oh, Sam!” Alexis said. She was laughing, but not in a mean way. “At least you didn’t get dressed yet.” She blotted my pants for me. Serena guiltily handed me some napkins.
    My pink heart pants were practically see-through and I was wearing purple underwear. Thank God my butt wasn’t wet, but still. I had to get back to the bunk and change. “Can I…” I started to say.
    “Go,” Alexis finished. “We’ll meet you at the arts and crafts cabin after your chores.”
    I was walking out of the room when I heard Hitch start to do the mail call and call my name. I almost fell over. One of the campers ran over to me carrying a small brown padded envelope. One big enough to carry a videotape. I felt the package. It
was
a videotape and it was from Mal!
    Now I didn’t care that I was wet. If I wasn’t, then I’d have to go back to the bunk with everyone else and I wouldn’t be able to watch my tape. Now at least I would have a chance to start it. Mal’s and my tapes were always at least thirty minutes long. I was halfway out the door when I heard my name again.
    “Samantha,” Hitch said in his typical gruff manner. He strode over to me and smiled. “How are you?”
    “Fine,” I told him. Ever since Mom told me her and Hitch were “phone dating” I’d felt a little awkward around him.
    Hitch nodded. “Good. Good. I promised your mom I’d keep a close eye on you,” he told me and patted me on my shoulder. “I’m sure your mom is upset that she has to miss visitors’ day.”
    I knew Mom probably wouldn’t be able to make parents’ day. Her work trip was extended at the last minute. At first I thought it would be weird having no one come see me at camp — it’s not like Mal was going to take a day off from Malomark time to get her parents to drive her two-plus hours — but Em’s parents weren’t coming either (she sort of talked them out of it). Most of our bunk was